Migration of content when accessed using federated search

ABSTRACT

Migration of content when accessed using federated search is disclosed. A content item is received as a result of a search of a content source not natively configured to provide content type data for content items. The content item is stored as a part of a repository that is organized by content item type, including by associating with the content item a content type.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Computer system users can access data from many sources including localdata repositories, network attached data repositories, legacy datarepositories, databases, and other resources (e.g., Internet websites).Some systems, for example content management systems, are able toprovide search services for its users; these services enable users toidentify documents containing a particular word, a particular phrase, acombination of words, related to particular data associated with content(e.g., metadata). However, this service is typically only available forthe content and metadata that is internal to the search capable system(e.g., content that is managed by the content management system). Insome cases, search is possible within other data sources, however onlylocally within systems or applications associated with the othersources. It would be beneficial to be able to take advantage of thesearch ability of a system for searching content or data that is eitherinternal to the system or also content or data that is not internal tothe system.

In some cases, a content item is located using the search ability of asystem for searching content that is not internal to the system and ispart of a legacy content system. Content in the legacy system may nothave been migrated into the content management system in its entiretybecause it would be excessively time consuming and inefficient from astorage perspective. However, once a content item is located that isuseful or interesting to a system user, it would be beneficial tomigrate the information so that it becomes internal to the contentmanagement system making all functionality and services of the contentmanagement system available with regard to the content item. It would bebeneficial to migrate the content item not internal to the system tobecome internal to the system and be able to associate appropriate datawith content item (e.g., metadata, such as content type).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the followingdetailed description and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system forfederated search.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for afederated search.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process forcausing results to be retrieved from the internal repository.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for causing results tobe retrieved from external repository(s) and external resource(s)including the retrieval of metadata regarding the results.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process formigrating content on demand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as aprocess, an apparatus, a system, a composition of matter, a computerreadable medium such as a computer readable storage medium or a computernetwork wherein program instructions are sent over optical or electroniccommunication links. In this specification, these implementations, orany other form that the invention may take, may be referred to astechniques. A component such as a processor or a memory described asbeing configured to perform a task includes both a general componentthat is temporarily configured to perform the task at a given time or aspecific component that is manufactured to perform the task. In general,the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within thescope of the invention. The computer readable storage medium includesmemory.

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention isprovided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate theprinciples of the invention. The invention is described in connectionwith such embodiments, but the invention is not limited to anyembodiment. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims andthe invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications andequivalents. Numerous specific details are set forth in the followingdescription in order to provide a thorough understanding of theinvention. These details are provided for the purpose of example and theinvention may be practiced according to the claims without some or allof these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technicalmaterial that is known in the technical fields related to the inventionhas not been described in detail so that the invention is notunnecessarily obscured.

On demand migration of content items is disclosed. A content item isreceived as a result of a search of a content source not nativelyorganized by content item type. The content item is stored as a part ofa system that is organized by content item type. In some embodiments,the content source is a legacy content management system, and the resultof the search returns content items that are desired to be imported intothe content management system. In some embodiments, content items foundthrough federated search in a content source not natively organized bycontent item type can be migrated selectively and on demand to a contenttype aware repository as a “typed” content item. In some embodiments,the search is a desk top search tool that integrates searching of localsources as well as content management repositories, databases, otherresources, etc. In some embodiments, the unified search does not requirethe requestor to know the repository/storage system's query language(e.g., a search for every document with “foo” for a system without fulltext search would receive a translated command that might include titlecontains “foo” or text contains “foo”). In some embodiments, type datais associated with a content source or portion thereof and the type datais associated with a content item associated with (e.g., retrieved fromand/or identified in the course of a search of) the content source orportion thereof. In some embodiments, a content item not stored in theinternal repository but found in response to query performed via theinternal repository and/or an associated content management system canbe migrated to the internal repository with an automatic capture of typeinformation during the migration. In some embodiments, authentication isrequired for a given external repository or resource, and a user isprompted for authentication information (e.g., username and password,security token, etc.) as required when a session is initiated. When thesearch results are accessed again, the authentication information aswell as path or access information is recalled from the prior search sothat the results are requested again and/or access is provided withoutthe user having to re-authenticate the session or recall the sequence ofthe search in order to locate the desired information (e.g., searchresults often provide a temporary path to requested information and inthis case the federated search system provides in a manner transparentto the user the ability to re-access the information without the concernthat a temporary path may have expired).

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system forfederated search. In the example shown, one or more users connect toweb-based content management application 102 using a computer system,represented in FIG. 1 by computer 100. In the example shown, web-basedcontent management application 102 is built on a content managementsystem vendor-provided web development kit (WDK) 104. In someembodiments, WDK 104 comprises a set of tools to facilitate developmentof web-based applications, e.g., by providing reusable componentspre-configured to interact with a content server and/or other repositoryto provide content management services. Web-based content managementapplication 102 in some embodiments provides to users content type awarecontent management services and/or functions. An example of a contenttype aware service or function is providing a view (display) based atleast in part on content item type, e.g., displaying a “calendar” as agrid and an email message with “to”, “from”, “subject”, and/or otherfields in a header display region at the top of the display, attachmentnames/icons in an attachment display region below the header, andmessage text in a message body display region at the bottom; enabling auser to search by content type; and displaying query results in a mannerdetermined based at least in part on content type. Web-based contentmanagement application 102 also includes search services 106. In someembodiments, a user requests a search to a content management system.The content management service searches both the internal repositoriesof the content management system and external repositories and otherattached resources. The content management system receives the searchrequest and the WDK 104 translates the search request for searchservices 106. Search services 106 translates the search request for adirect search of internal content management system repository 108 andan indirect search of external repositories/resources via enterprisecontent integration server 110. In some embodiments, search services 106are provided by business logic and/or foundation classes that comprise acontent management framework on which web-based content managementapplication 102 and WDK 104 are based. Enterprise content integration(ECI) server 110 targets the search request for a search of one or morerepositories, represented in FIG. 1 by 114 and 118, and/or otherresources, represented in FIG. 1 by 122. In some embodiments, contentmanagement system repository 108 is a new content management systemrepository, and one or more of repositories 114 and 118 are legacycontent management system repositories. In various embodiments, externalrepositories comprise other content management systems, databasesystems, legacy content management systems not capable of the type ofsearch desired, (e.g., Filenet™, LexisNexis™, Lotus Notes™, etc.). Invarious embodiments, other resources include information sources orsearch services—for example, Google™, Yahoo™, MSN™, MySimon™,Pricewatch™, AskJeeves™, etc. The targeted search request is translatedand adapted using a configuration adapter, represented in FIG. 1 byconfiguration adapter 112, 116, and 120. The configuration adapter alsotranslates and adapts the responses to the search request and passes theresponses to ECI server 110. In some embodiments, the configurationadapter includes associated information in the response to the searchrequest. In some embodiments, the associated information is ultimatelyused as metadata information that enables the content management systemto treat the search results as typed information for the results of thesearch. In some embodiments, a query broker (not shown) at the contentmanagement system is configured to communicate with the ECI server 110and to use information about the external content sources accessed viaECI server 110 to associate type information with results received fromECI server 110. The results from ECI server 110 in some embodimentsindicate the external content source for each responsive content item(or group of items), and the query broker at the content managementsystem associates type information with each content item (or set ofcontent items) based on the source, as identified for example by dataassociated with a configuration file and/or adapter used to retrieveand/or identify the content from the external source. In someembodiments, more than one configuration adapter is associated with aspecific repository or resource—for example, one configuration adapteris configured to facilitate searching for contract information in aspecific database and another configuration adapter is configured tofacilitate searching for financial information or specificationinformation in the same specific database. In some embodiments, aconfiguration adapter is easily configured by a user, systemadministrator, system manager using an application with a graphical userinterface (e.g., a WYSIWYG editor) to establish general parsing andsyntax rules for communication between the ECI server and the externalrepository or resource. In various embodiments, the configurationadapter configuration is based on preconfigured templates, has a selflearning engine in order to self-configure based at least in part on theexternal repository type and/or external resource type.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for afederated search. In various embodiments, the process of FIG. 2 isexecuted at least in part in web-based content management application102, WDK 104, and/or search services 106 of FIG. 1. In the exampleshown, in 200 a query is received regarding content. In someembodiments, the query requests information regarding the content usingtype information—for example, a request is made to locate all contractsassociated with a company name. In 202, the query is split for theinternal repository and for external repository(s) and/or externalresource(s). In some embodiments, the query is translated from a userrequest to a request that can be understood by search services (e.g.,WDK 104 translates the query for search services 106—for example, auniversal search syntax/language such as DFC). In some embodiments,search services 106 translates the query so that the query isappropriate for the internal repository and the federated search broker,which interacts through configuration adapters, with externalrepository(s) and external resource(s). In 204, the results are causedto be retrieved from the internal repository. In some embodiments, thetranslated query for the internal repository (e.g., a proprietary querylanguage for the internal repository or an API call) is caused toexecute and the results are received from the internal repository whichnatively understands typed information. In 206, the results are causedto be retrieved from external repository(s) and other externalresource(s), as applicable, including the retrieval of metadataregarding the results. In some embodiments, the translated query for theexternal repository(s) and/or external resource(s) (e.g., a syntax thatconforms to an API or other interface or language associated withenterprise content integration (ECI) server 110) is caused to executeand the results are received from external repository(s) and/orresource(s) which do not natively understand type information. In 208,type information is associated with the results based at least in parton the metadata. In some embodiments, type information is associatedwith the results based on metadata information received along withresults. In some embodiments, a configuration adapter that isconfigured, on the one hand, to adapt search queries for an externalrepository or external resource from an ECI server, and, on the otherhand, to adapt search query results from an external repository orexternal resource to an ECI server including adding, querying for,and/or generating appropriate associated metadata for the query results.In some embodiments, the type information does not accompany the searchresults and instead is learned prior to and/or subsequent to the searchbeing performed and/or results returned. In some embodiments, 206 and208 are performed by a federated query broker at the content managementsystem, configured to translate queries into a language and/or formatunderstood by the ECI server 110 and to translate results from ECIserver 110 into a form and format understood and usable at the contentmanagement system. In some embodiments, the functions of the federatedquery broker as described in the preceding sentence are performed by abroker on ECI server 110 and/or integrated into the functionality of ECIserver 110. For example, in some embodiments the ECI server 110 isconfigured to use information associated with an external contentsource, e.g., a configuration adapter and/or associated configurationfile associated with the external content source, to associate typeinformation with content items responsive to a query, e.g., by injectingcontent type data (e.g., metadata) as appropriate in a stream of resultsdata sent to the content management system from which a federated querywas received. In 201, the results from the internal repository andexternal repository(s) and external resource(s) are combined andpresented as typed information. In some embodiments, transparent to arequesting user, combined search results from the internal repositoryand external repository(s) and/or external resource(s) are presented toa user in a content type aware manner as a single/integrated set ofresults. In some embodiments, the results are deduplicated (i.e.,results indicating identical content items are reduced to one result)using one or more of the following: a unique identifier or acharacteristic attribute such as size, date of creation, type, lastmodification date, etc. In various embodiments, the search results fromthe internal repository, the search results from the externalrepository(s), the results from the external resource(s), or anycombination are deduplicated. In some embodiments, content data orresult data are translated from a native format associated with theexternal content source into a common format associated with the contentmanagement system (e.g., XML, text, etc.). In some embodiments, contentdata or result data are not translated from a native format associatedwith the external content source (e.g., Microsoft Word™ format, AdobePDF™ format, etc.).

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process forcausing results to be retrieved from the internal repository. In someembodiments, the process of FIG. 3 is used to implement 206 of FIG. 2.In the example shown, in 300 the query is caused to be executed. In someembodiments, the search service of a content management system whichnatively understands typed information is used to perform a search ofthe internal repository by causing a query to be executed by therepository. In 302, typed results are received. The results from theinternal repository can include information regarding content type—forexample, information arising from associated metadata information withrespect to a specific content item.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for causing results tobe retrieved from external repository(s) and external resource(s)including the retrieval of metadata regarding the results. In someembodiments, the process of FIG. 4 is used to implement 208 of FIG. 2.In the example shown, in 400 the query is caused to be split for eachexternal repository and/or external resource. In some embodiments, thesearch is performed only with respect to a subset of external contentsources accessible via the ECI server, such as only those externalcontent sources that include content of a content type identified in thequery. In some embodiments, the ECI server determines which externalsources to search, e.g., based on one or more search terms (e.g.,content type). In some embodiments, a broker at the content managementsystem determines which external sources to search and identifies to theECI server the external content sources to be searched for a particularquery. In some embodiments, authentication is required for a givenexternal repository or resource, and a user is prompted forauthentication information as required when a session is initiated. Whenthe search results are accessed again, the authentication information aswell as path or access information is recalled from the prior search sothat the results are presented again or access is provided without theuser having to re-authenticate the session or recall the sequence of thesearch in order to locate the desired information. In 402, for eachexternal repository and/or resource, a translation of the query iscaused for the specific external repository or resource. In someembodiments, a configuration adapter is configured to translate thequery for a specific repository or resource. In 404, for each splitquery, the query is caused to be executed. In 406, for each split query,the results are caused to be translated. In 408, all results from eachof the split queries are received including metadata. In someembodiments, the metadata is a collection of attribute data from theexternal repository or resource associated with the search result. Insome embodiments, the search result is translated appropriately for theECI server and the search service.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process formigrating content on demand. In some embodiments, the process of FIG. 5follows the process of FIG. 2. Federated search results if not a part ofthe internal repository can be migrated into the internal repository andstored as typed content with associated metadata. In the example shown,in 500 content is indicated as being not in the internal repository. Insome embodiments, the results of the federated search are presented tothe search requestor in a manner that indicates that the search resultis from an external repository or resource—for example, displayed in adifferent color (e.g., different from the color used to display a searchresult from the internal repository), with a different background (e.g.,different from the background used to display a search result from theinternal repository), with an additional or different icon (e.g.,different from the icon used to display a search result from theinternal repository), in a separate result window, in a separate list,or by any other appropriate manner of indicating. In 502, an indicationis received of the content items that are to be migrated into theinternal repository. In various embodiments, the indication comprises aselection of items in a list by highlighting in a list, clicking radiobuttons, checking boxes, typing in a text window, or any otherappropriate manner of indicating. In various embodiments, the one ormore content items are retrieved along with associated metadata in orderto be able to load the content item and associated metadata into theinternal database so that content is appropriately type or the contentitems and associated metadata are already loaded in such a manner as toenable loading the content item and associated metadata into theinternal database. In 504, object(s) are created in the repository,e.g., one or more persistent objects each configured to represent acorresponding content item in the repository, e.g., by storing metadataabout the content item and/or making available one or more methods foraccessing and/or managing the content item. In some embodiments, anobject is created for each content item to be migrated. In someembodiments, the content items are checked to ensure that there are noduplicates being stored in the repository including checking forduplicates in the new information and/or checking to see if the newinformation duplicates any previously stored information. In variousembodiments, checking for duplicates comprises checking a file size,checking a file creation or modification date, checking a checksum,checking an attribute, or any other appropriate manner of checking tosee if a content item is a duplicate. In 506, metadata is loaded (e.g.,by populating attributes of the object(s) created at 504) and content isstored in the repository. In some embodiments, the metadata includescontent type information derived from metadata associated with thecontent item, content data comprising the content item, and/or typeinformation associated with and/or received from a configuration adapterand/or file associated with the external content source from which thecontent item was imported. In some embodiments, metadata and/or aportion thereof is displayed to a user for verification and/or editingprior to saving the object to the repository, e.g., to permit a user tocorrect an error in mapping content item metadata received from and/orassociated with the external source—e.g., content type—to attributes ofthe object being configured to represent the content item in the localrepository. In some embodiments, the search result, sessionauthentication information, temporary path information (e.g., a URL froman external resource search—for example, a Google™ search result URL) isstored as metadata associated with a content item.

Although the foregoing embodiments have been described in some detailfor purposes of clarity of understanding, the invention is not limitedto the details provided. There are many alternative ways of implementingthe invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and notrestrictive.

1. A method for managing content, the method comprising: splitting, byusing a computer, received search query for a content managementrepository natively configured to provide content type data for contentitems and a content source not natively configured to provide contenttype data for content items; searching content items from the repositoryand the content source based on the step of splitting, wherein thesearching does not receive an indication that a content item is to bemigrated into the content management repository that is organized bycontent item type, wherein the searching is performed only with respectto a subset of content sources not natively configured to providecontent type data for content items that include only content of aparticular content type, wherein the searching is not nativelyconfigured to provide content type data for content items requiresauthentication information; combining search results of the split searchquery from the repository natively configured to provide content typedata for content items and the content source not natively configured toprovide content type data for content items, and wherein if the searchresults are accessed again, the authentication information is recalledfrom the prior search so that access is provided withoutre-authentication; presenting the search results to a user; indicatingthat the content item in the search results is not stored in the contentmanagement repository; checking the content item that has not beenpreviously stored as part of the repository that is organized by contentitem type, wherein the checking comprises checking a file size, checkinga file creation or modification date, checking a checksum, and checkingan attribute; and storing the content item as a part of the contentmanagement repository that is organized by content item type, includingby associating with the content item a content type, wherein the storingthe content item comprises retrieving entire content item and anyrelated metadata from the content source not natively configured toprovide content type data and loading the content item into an internaldatabase of the content management repository that is organized bycontent item type, wherein the associating of content type with thecontent item is determined in part by a configuration adapter configuredto search the content source not natively configured to provide contenttype data for a particular type of information of the content items. 2.The method as in claim 1, further comprising indicating that the contentitem is associated with the content source not natively organized bycontent item type.
 3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the indicationthat the content item is not stored in the content management repositorycomprises at least one of the following: different color display,different color background, different icon, with an additional icon, ina separate window, or in a separate list.
 4. The method as in claim 1,wherein authentication for the content source is provided ifappropriate.
 5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the indication thatthe content item is to be migrated comprises one of the following:highlighting in a list, clicking a radio button, checking a box, ortyping in a text window.
 6. The method as in claim 1, further comprisingreceiving a correction of a mapping of associated information to type orattribute information associated with the content item to be stored. 7.The method as in claim 1, wherein the content type is associated withthe content item based at least in part on metadata.
 8. The method as inclaim 7, wherein the metadata associates the content type with contentsource.
 9. The method as in claim 7, wherein the metadata associates thecontent type with a portion of content source and the content item isassociated with the portion of the content source with which the contenttype is associated.
 10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the contentsource not natively organized by type comprises one of the following: adatabase, a content management system, a legacy content managementsystem, an information resource, or a search resource.
 11. The method asin claim 1, further comprising checking that the content item has notbeen previously stored as part of the repository that is organized bycontent item type.
 12. The method as in claim 11, wherein checkingcomprises one or more of the following: checking a file size, checking afile creation or modification date, checking a checksum, and checking anattribute.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the content type relatesto actual information contained within the content item.
 14. The methodof claim 13, wherein the content type comprises the type of businessinformation contained in the content item.
 15. The method of claim 14,wherein the content type comprises one of the following: contractinformation or financials.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein thecontent management repository is part of a content management systemthat provides content type aware content management services.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the content type aware service comprisesproviding a display based at least in part on content item type.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the associating of content type with thecontent item is determined in part by a configuration adapter configuredto search a content source not natively configured to provide contenttype data for content items for a particular type of information. 19.The method of claim 16, wherein the content type aware service comprisesenabling a user to search by content type.
 20. The method of claim 16,wherein the content type aware service comprises displaying queryresults in a manner determined based at least in part on content type.21. The method of claim 1, wherein the search of a content source notnatively configured to provide content type data for content itemsrequires authentication, and wherein if the search results are accessedagain, the authentication information is recalled from a prior search sothat access is provided without a user being required to reauthenticate.22. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating of content type withthe content item is based on information associated with the contentsource not natively configured to provide content type data for contentitems.
 23. The method of claim 1, wherein a search is performed onlywith respect to a subset of content sources not natively configured toprovide content type data for content items that include only content ofa particular content type.
 24. A computer program product for managingcontent, the computer program product being embodied in a computerreadable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:splitting received search query for a content management repositorynatively configured to provide content type data for content items and acontent source not natively configured to provide content type data forcontent items; searching content items from the repository and thecontent source based on the step of splitting, wherein the searchingdoes not receive an indication that a content item is to be migratedinto the content management repository that is organized by content itemtype, wherein the searching is performed only with respect to a subsetof content sources not natively configured to provide content type datafor content items that include only content of a particular contenttype, wherein the searching is not natively configured to providecontent type data for content items requires authentication information;combining search results of the split search query from the repositorynatively configured to provide content type data for content items andthe content source not natively configured to provide content type datafor content items, and wherein if the search results are accessed again,the authentication information is recalled from the prior search so thataccess is provided without re-authentication; presenting the searchresults to a user; indicating that the content item in the searchresults is not stored in the content management repository; checking thecontent item that has not been previously stored as part of therepository that is organized by content item type, wherein the checkingcomprises checking a file size, checking a file creation or modificationdate, checking a checksum, and checking an attribute; and storing thecontent item as a part of the content management repository that isorganized by content item type, including by associating with thecontent item a content type, wherein the storing the content itemcomprises retrieving the content item and any related metadata from thecontent source not natively configured to provide content type data andloading the content item into an internal database of the contentmanagement repository that is organized by content item type, whereinthe associating of content type with the content item is determined inpart by a configuration adapter configured to search the content sourcenot natively configured to provide content type data for a particulartype of information of the content items.
 25. A system for managingcontent comprising: a memory; a processor configured to: split receivedsearch query for a content management repository natively configured toprovide content type data for content items and a content source notnatively configured to provide content type data for content items;search content items from the repository and the content source based onthe step of splitting, wherein the searching does not receive anindication that a content item is to be migrated into the contentmanagement repository that is organized by content item type, whereinthe searching is performed only with respect to a subset of contentsources not natively configured to provide content type data for contentitems that include only content of a particular content type, whereinthe searching is not natively configured to provide content type datafor content items requires authentication information; combine searchresults of the split search query from the repository nativelyconfigured to provide content type data for content items and thecontent source not natively configured to provide content type data forcontent items; and wherein if the search results are accessed again, theauthentication information is recalled from the prior search so thataccess is provided without re-authentication; present the search resultsto a user; indicate that the content item in the search results is notstored in the content management repository; check the content item thathas not been previously stored as part of the repository that isorganized by content item type, wherein the checking comprises checkinga file size, checking a file creation or modification date, checking achecksum, and checking an attribute; and store the content item as apart of the content management repository that is organized by contentitem type, including by associating with the content item a contenttype, wherein storing the content item comprises retrieving entirecontent item and any related metadata from the content source notnatively configured to provide content type data and loading the contentitem into an internal database of the content management repository thatis organized by content item type, wherein the associating of contenttype with the content item is determined in part by a configurationadapter configured to search the content source not natively configuredto provide content type data for a particular type of information of thecontent items.
 26. The system as in claim 25, wherein the content typeis associated with the content item based at least in part on metadata.27. The system as in claim 26, wherein the metadata associates thecontent type with the content source.
 28. The system as in claim 26,wherein the metadata associates the content type with a portion of thecontent source and the content item is associated with the portion ofthe content source with which the content type is associated.
 29. Thesystem as in claim 25, wherein the content type relates to actualinformation contained within the content item.
 30. The system as inclaim 29 wherein the content type comprises the type of businessinformation contained in the content item.
 31. The system as in claim25, wherein the content management repository is part of a contentmanagement system that provides content type aware content managementservices.
 32. The system as in claim 25, wherein the search of a contentsource not natively configured to provide content type data for contentitems requires authentication; and wherein if the search results areaccess again, the authentication information is recalled from the priorsearch so that access is provided without re-authentication.
 33. Thesystem as in claim 25, wherein the associating of content type with thecontent item is based on information associated with the content sourcenot natively configured to provide content type data for content items.34. The system as in claim 25, wherein the associating of content typewith the content item is determined in part by a configuration adapterconfigured to search a content source not natively configured to providecontent type data for content items for a particular type ofinformation.
 35. The system as in claim 25, wherein the search isperformed only with respect to a subset of content sources not nativelyconfigured to provide content type data for content items that includeonly content of a particular content type.